Showing posts with label cisco shares. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cisco shares. Show all posts

Monday, May 31, 2010

Winterflood Securities deploys Cisco unified computing system

Winterflood Securities deploys Cisco unified computing system

Working with Logicalis, a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, Winterflood Securities has undertaken a project to migrate its VMware infrastructure to the new platform. The solution includes four Unified Computing System (UCS) chassis; Nexus 1000, 2000 and 5000 series switches; Catalyst 6500 series 10 gigabit Ethernet switches; and services and support.

The company said its UCS unites computational, network, storage access and virtualization resources in a single energy-efficient system that can reduce information technology infrastructure costs and complexity, help extend capital assets, and improve business agility.

Grant Davidson, manager of IT special projects at Winterflood, said: "Capitalizing on new market opportunities as and when they arise marks the difference between success and failure in the capital markets. We see this as a strategic implementation that will provide us with the flexibility, agility and reliability that will allow us to adapt with the demands of the market and our clients, delivering the services they require.

"With Cisco Advanced Services working in concert with Logicalis' services, the integration of the Cisco platform with our existing network has been a simple and straightforward process and we look forward to a continued successful relationship."

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

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Saturday, May 8, 2010

HP Buys Palm and Now CISCO BUYS NOKIA?!?!?!?

HP Buys Palm and Now CISCO BUYS NOKIA?!?!?!?


Cisco to buy Nokia? speculates  a little-known UK Sunday paper (pub. Andrew "Brillo" Neil; circ. 204,005). I'm saying nothing after my blog melted from a blizzard of hits from Finland after I criticized the Nokia 770. So here's what other bloggers are saying...

Merging the two would be quite a challenge, and the most likely situation would be Cisco leaving much of Nokia as is, while slowly working to merge the equipment areas where they overlap (similar to the way they've handled the Linksys acquisition).

But French blogger-journalist Luc Saint-Elie defends the idea (if my French is up to the job):

    The rumor's not so stupid. Cisco and Nokia collaborate on VoIP: a hot sector right now. Cisco has the infrastructure and Nokia has the handsets. See how it makes sense?

Darrell Houle runs the numbers:

    Nokia certainly has global reach, a solid reputation, and has been smarting recently which makes it a good target for acquisition. Nokia’s market value sits around $71 billion US, whereas the Cisco’s value is around $123 billion.

As El Reg's Tony Smith points out, this isn't the first time:

    They have also been rumoured to be looking at merging before. Most recently - February 2005 ... The rumours may have been revived following Nokia's management reshuffle pre-announced last week.

Unstrung's Justin Springham spots the arrival of the wireless industry’s silly season:

    As much of Europe shuts up shop for the next few weeks and heads to the nearest beach, the rumor mill is cranking into action. Analysts have been quick to dismiss the idea of a deal, declaring it "unlikely" in light of Cisco's acquisition history. Ah, summer! Roll on September...

Engadget howls "but why?" and then jokes,

    What would they name their spawn—Ciscokia, or Nocisco?
     NO dude its CisKia...

    SOURCE:

Friday, May 7, 2010

IBM to buy VC-backed IT company Guardium IBM to buy VC-backed IT company Guardium

IBM to buy VC-backed IT company Guardium IBM to buy VC-backed IT company Guardium

Global technology services giant IBM is preparing to purchase venture-capital-backed database security company Guardium for $225m, according to Israeli newspaper TheMarker. The deal is expected to close in the next few days.

The company was founded in Israel in 2002, but moved to Boston in 2003, and offers real time database monitoring, auditing and compliance solutions, vulnerability management solutions, and database leak protection.

Guardium has reportedly raised $21m from venture capital funds such as Ascent Venture Partners, Israel’s StageOne Ventures and Veritas, and Cisco Systems. The company was named as a “hot pick” by Information Security magazine. Guardium is a subsidiary of Israel’s Log-On Software.

The company is currently expanding its presence across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Andrew Lawton vice president of EMEA sales, said, “The realisation is dawning across EMEA that corporations and governments need to have greater visibility and control over who accesses their sensitive data, and they need to prove to regulators and the public that these controls exist and are effective.”

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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Cisco Announces Mobile WebEx Meeting Center Application for BlackBerry

Cisco Announces Mobile WebEx Meeting Center Application for BlackBerry

Cisco (News  - Alert), a global provider of networking solutions, recently announced  its latest free downloadable Cisco WebEx Meeting Center application for BlackBerry (News  - Alert)  smartphones. This application will help Cisco to expand their mobile business collaboration services, and to improve the online meeting experience for its users.

For its users, Cisco’s WebEx Meeting Center for BlackBerry smartphones offers the flexibility and ease to participate in online meetings. Also, it gives the ability to view shared documents and desktops directly from their smartphones.

"Cisco continues to show its commitment to business customers through enhanced availability of online meetings on mobile devices,” said Debra Chrapaty, the senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Collaboration Software Group. “This mobile application makes participating in online meetings accessible for the millions of BlackBerry users who rely on Cisco WebEx for collaboration. It's very user friendly and completely intuitive."

When the user clicks the URL to join the Cisco WebEx online meeting from their BlackBerry smartphone, they are called back by WebEx audio conferencing to join the meeting. If the user answers the audio call, the data portion of the meeting is automatically launched on their smartphones. Other audio configurations also can be supported with the help of this application. Now, this application enables the meeting participants to use the menu options to access the features and shortcuts for fast navigation at the time of travel.

In addition to that, with this new application, the meeting hosts gets the flexibility to start a scheduled meeting that has been previously scheduled on a computer and to pass the presenter control to another attendee who participates from a computer. Also, with live annotations, the meeting participants are able to view shared presentations, applications, and desktops. It also enables the users to view the attendee list to find out who's on conversation at a particular time, and chat privately with one or all of the attendees.

"Together, Cisco WebEx Meeting Center and BlackBerry smartphones provide a highly secure, rich, and intuitive experience for mobile business users,” Jeff McDowell, the senior vice president of Business Segment Marketing and Alliances at Research In Motion.

Cisco’s WebEx Meeting Center application for BlackBerry smartphones is available for download at webex.com or at www.blackberry.com/appworld.

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Cisco dives deeper into the data center

 Cisco dives deeper into the data center

Lest anyone forget, Cisco's broad data center sweep this week is a reminder that the networking giant's network-centric approach to data center transformation includes giving the network administrator more control over IT operations. Further evidence of that is found in the Nexus 1010 appliance, a virtual service control plane for provisioning services to virtual machines (VMs).

The Nexus 1010 hosts virtual services, such as the Nexus 1000V virtual switch, to ease installation and bestow "ownership" of virtual services to the network administrator, according to Cisco, instead of the server administrator. The Nexus 1010 also supports network analysis down to the VM layer, giving the net admin granular visibility into the virtual workload - perhaps the same visibility the admin would have into network traffic.

At the same time, though, Cisco is attempting to make its data center offerings more appealing to server admins as well. This week's launch also included enhancements to its Unified Computing System platform and blade and rack servers that make the products more suitable for general purpose computing - handling physical workloads as well as virtual.

As Jonathan Eunice of Illuminata points out, this broadens Cisco's initial focus, which was on only the virtualized data center and virtualized workloads. Now Cisco's going after the whole shebang, which will only turn up the competition with server incumbents IBM, HP and Dell.

The HP bridge has already been blown up. Time will tell what ultimately happens with the relationship with IBM. And Dell's already feeling the increase in temperature.

"(This week's) announcement by Cisco demonstrates the bifurcation in the market with some vendors pushing a closed and propriety approach to the data center and Dell's differentiated approach of delivering choice and solutions that are open, capable and affordable," said Dell's Forrest Norrod, vice president and general manager, Server Platforms, in an e-mailed statement.  "We've heard loud and clear customers are looking to reap the benefits of virtualization and reduce datacenter complexity but not at the expense of handing their infrastructure over to a single vendor as Cisco is asking them to do."

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New foundation to manage Cisco funds

New foundation to manage Cisco funds

The Board of Trustees for the Hattiesburg Public School District has asked for legislative permission to transfer money from the district's general fund into a recently created foundation.

The American Red Cross

The twist: The $174,457 to be transferred had accrued in an earlier foundation incarnation that was dissolved at the request of the state auditor.

Trustees voted to send along a request to Rep. Toby Barker, R-Hattiesburg, to introduce a local and private bill to "allow the district to relinquish that money back to the new foundation," said Eddie Holloway, president of the reconstituted nonprofit entity, the Hattiesburg Public School District Foundation.

The original foundation, Hattiesburg Public Schools Foundation, was created in 2006 to manage a multi-million dollar grant from Cisco Systems Inc.

Cisco grant money, which became available in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, primarily was used to upgrade technology in the district's classrooms.

That included the purchase of Activboards, a whiteboard that functions as a touch screen and Internet portal.

But in 2008, the state auditor's office ruled that the foundation had been flawed in its structural inception.

"The original ruling by the state auditor was that (the foundation) was seen as an arm of the school board," Holloway said.

That meant that the old foundation had to cease operations. The money left in trust was transferred to the district to be held until a new foundation was created in compliance with state guidelines.

The board was asked to pass the resolution this past week because the Legislature is to reconvene April 20.

"Business will be conducted from one day to three days," said board attorney Percy Watson, who is a long-time member of the state House of Representatives as well.

"There is a window for this to go through."

Holloway said the foundation money is expected to be awarded to HPSD teachers in the form of mini-grants to enhance classroom education.

"The way that it's worded (in the document creating the foundation) is that all proceeds will be used for education," Holloway said.

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Starent to settle lawsuit over Cisco deal

Starent to settle lawsuit over Cisco deal

Starent Networks Corp. (Nasdaq: STAR), a maker of equipment for wireless networks, Friday said it had agreed to settle a shareholder lawsuit over its pending acquisition by Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO).

Tewksbury-based Starent has agreed to pay the plaintiff's legal costs and provided some clarifications to the financial analysis that underpinned the board's decision to accept Cisco's offer of $2.9 billion in cash. That deal was announced Oct. 13.

The lawsuit, which sought class action status on behalf of Starent shareholders, was filed Oct. 20 in Delaware's Chancery Court by a union pension fund. It alleged that Starent's board failed in their duty by accepting an offer price that was too low.

Starent made a regulatory filing on Nov. 9 with a detailed chronology of the deal and an analysis of the board's reasoning.

With the settlement, it provided some supplemental explanations of the financial analysis.

Two other suits seeking class action status have been filed against the company over the terms of the Cisco deal.

Cisco employs some 4,000 people at its campus in Research Triangle Park, N.C.


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Friday, April 30, 2010

Cisco Router Sent Into Space Aboard Intelsat Satellite

Cisco Router Sent Into Space Aboard Intelsat Satellite

IRIS Technology Could Enhance Military Communications

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Nov. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A space-tolerant router designed by Cisco, the leading supplier of networking equipment and network management for the Internet, flew into orbit today aboard a satellite of Intelsat, Ltd., the world's leading provider of fixed satellite services. The payload, on the Intelsat 14 satellite, is a demonstration of Internet Routing in Space (IRIS) for the U.S. military, which is expected to open up a number of commercial and military opportunities to improve communications connectivity around the globe.

The Department of Defense Joint Capabilities Technology Demonstration (JCTD) of IRIS will be managed by Cisco and Intelsat General Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Intelsat. The Cisco IRIS payload will convert to commercial use following the three-month technology demonstration, set to begin in January 2010. The IRIS team expects to show that the payload will directly route an incoming signal on one of the satellite's C- or Ku-band transponders to a number of ground receivers in either band while avoiding the time delay and cost of double-hopping the traffic through multiple teleports.

"We expect IRIS to connect the Internet with satellites in space for the warfighters who need seamless communication between ground-based networks and satellites used for communications," said Kay Sears, president of Intelsat General. "Once the capabilities of IRIS are demonstrated, there could be a great deal of interest in this technology from a wide range of end users, both inside and outside of government."

Cisco used the commercial Cisco IOS(R) Software for the on-board router, which is not unlike the routers used in Earth-based computer networks; however, it required radiation shielding for the harsh environment of space.

"Just as satellites transformed the global reach of communications and led to significant innovation, so too will the delivery of global IP-based communications services via satellite drive major cost efficiencies and flexibility to entities around the globe," said Steven Boutelle, vice president, Cisco Global Government Solutions Group. "IRIS has the potential to transform how government agencies and commercial organizations are able to buy and use IP-based network services to accomplish their missions."

The JCTD grant for the project from the DoD to Intelsat General is the first such funding ever awarded to a commercial satellite operator.

IRIS offers several distinct advantages over conventional satellite technology. IRIS can route data to multiple ground receivers in a single step, increasing transponder utilization. Because the payload regenerates the signal, its power is increased slightly, allowing a reduction in the size of sending and receiving terminals, particularly important for mobile applications.

Finally, the software on the Cisco router and onboard modem can be upgraded from the ground, which increases the flexibility of the system and the return on investment for the operator.

With IRIS, users will be able to experience a true mobile network, one that enables them to connect and communicate how, when and where they want, and that continuously adapts to their needs without reliance on a predefined, fixed infrastructure. Cisco intends to partner with satellite manufacturers, system integrators and end users to deliver services globally to points currently prohibitive to traditional ground-based networks.

The IRIS payload will support network services for voice, video and data communications, enabling government agencies, military units or allied forces to communicate with one another using Internet Protocol and existing ground equipment.

"IRIS is another example of how hosted payloads allow rapid demonstrations and introductions of powerful new space technologies," said Don Brown, vice president of Hosted Payloads at Intelsat General. "This project took less than three years from JCTD start to launch, showing that the government can evaluate a pivotal new technology in space within a very short period."

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) will have overall responsibility for coordinating the demonstration of the IRIS technology among the government user community and for developing means of using the IRIS capability once the satellite is in space.

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Saturday, April 24, 2010

Cisco SIO iPhone application to hit the App Store soon

Cisco SIO iPhone application to hit the App Store soon

iPhone owners can now access global security information from anywhere by means of the latest Cisco SIO To Go app. The app also allows users to personalize alerts and show only those security threats which could impact their network.

The new Cisco SIO To Go iPhone application presents IT staff with efficient means to obtain alerts and reply to threats that can affect their operations. The app is driven by Cisco Security IntelliShield Alert Manager
Service and delivers early warning intelligence, threat vulnerability and proven Cisco mitigation solutions to users’ iPhones as they arise. The Cisco application also provides unique IP and URL address, e-mail and Web reputation look-up powered by the Cisco IronPort SenderBase Security Network and the Cisco SIO.

“Enabling borderless networks is critical for today’s business success. A key component of enabling individuals to connect to their business networks from anywhere is working to ensure that the network is protected regardless of the device used. Our new Cisco SIO To Go iPhone application is another important step in making this vision a reality. It improves the means by which IT departments are alerted to threats, and it provides added confidence and device flexibility as Cisco customers are shielded from these breaches”, remarked Marie Hattar, vice president, Network Systems Solutions Marketing, Cisco,

Cisco SIO is inclusive of Cisco SensorBase, Cisco Threat Operations Center and Dynamic Updates. The SensorBase, a threat-monitoring network captures global threat telemetry data from an extensive footprint of Cisco devices and services. The alerts delivered include Cisco Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) alerts, Cisco Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) Signatures, Cisco Applied Mitigation Bulletins, Cisco Threat Outbreak Alerts and others.

The Cisco SIO iPhone application will be made available for free at the Apple iTunes Store shortly.



Would this be a helpful application..




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Friday, April 23, 2010

Cisco unveils free iPhone security app targeted for trojans, worms, or other threats

Cisco unveils free iPhone security app targeted for trojans, worms, or other threats

San Diego, California (CaymanMama.com) — Computer viruses are growing smarter and smarter, making it necessary for technology to stay abreast of the latest trojans, worms, or other threats prowling the Internet.
In tackling those needs, Cisco Systems announced the release of a free iPhone application that employs Cisco Security Intelligence Operations (SIO) blogs, podcasts, alerts and the most up to date computer safety information, sending directly to iPhones and iPod Touch devices.
“In a world where your customers or employees are not always connected to a network we wanted to put Cisco security in the palm of your hand,” said Michael Weir, manager of integrated marketing for security.
“The app is made for IT security folks, but it is also for people that like to geek-out on security.”
Users who access the SIO To Go app can find information on the newest threats identified via an ongoing analysis of email and Internet traffic across the glob.

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Saturday, April 10, 2010

Cisco and logitech join forces in videoconferencing services

Videoconferencing: Cisco, Logitech Target the Mainstream

Logitech's acquisition of LifeSize and Cisco's bid for Tandberg are aimed at grabbing market share and expanding sales to more businesses—and even consumers

Videoconferencing may finally be headed for the mainstream. The technology that lets people around the globe hold face-to-face meetings electronically has been around for decades. Yet many videoconferencing products have for too long been glitchy, overpriced, and hard to use.

Yet seemingly overnight, companies including Cisco Systems (CSCO), Logitech International (LOGI), and several lesser-known startups are engaged in a flurry of dealmaking aimed at grabbing more of the market and bringing the technology into more businesses and homes. Cisco on Nov. 16 upped to $3.4 billion its bid for market leader Tandberg (TAA.DE), hoping to win over investors who said the Oslo, Norway-based company is worth more than the initial $3 billion offer. Cisco may also introduce a videoconferencing product for consumers at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, BusinessWeek has learned. And in its largest-ever acquisition, PC accessories giant Logitech said on Nov. 10 it will pay $405 million for LifeSize Communications, a maker of high-end high-definition videoconferencing gear. Shares of Polycom (PLCM), the last remaining videoconferencing pure play, have risen 12.5% since Oct. 28, on hopes it may be the next to be bought.

The deals underscore a growing sense that videoconferencing is finally ready to go from an exotic luxury to an everyday part of business life. Thanks to increased broadband capacity, corporate networks can now better handle bandwidth-hogging videoconferencing sessions. Scores of consumers and businesspeople have sampled low-end options such as those offered by Internet-calling provider Skype, and millions of people now carry powerful laptops and smartphones with the processing power needed to join conferences from anywhere. Cisco has helped increase visibility for videoconferencing by heavily promoting its TelePresence technology, recently in a self-mocking product placement on NBC's 30 Rock.
Everyday Business Use

TelePresence can set a company back as much as $250,000 for a single conference room, but the range of prices is getting ever lower. Cisco CEO John Chambers is buying Tandberg in part because Tandberg is the leader in the larger market for less expensive room systems. On Nov. 9, Cisco announced Intranet software that would make videoconferencing a standard component on corporate Web sites. "We want this to be the place people start their day, and where they spend most of their day," says Cisco Senior Vice-President Tony Bates. "We're in it to win it."

So, it seems, is Logitech. Better known for its computer mice, Webcams, and other PC accessories, Logitech this month snapped up LifeSize, which sells videoconferencing products that range from $2,500 on the low end to tens of thousands of dollars for deluxe models. Logitech plans to use its manufacturing expertise to get better prices on components and make operations run more efficiently at the enlarged company, driving down prices on LifeSize's gear.

Lesser-known players are also trying to make videoconferencing waves. Hackensack (N.J.)-based Vidyo has a software-only offering that some analysts say may put pressure on industry pricing.

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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Cisco threatened by HP-3com Union?

 HP-3Com union a real Cisco threat

 (Network World Middle East Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Financial analysts see HP's pending purchase of 3Com as a threat to Cisco because it means 3Com Ethernet switches that are inexpensive and very popular in China will have better access to U.S. businesses via well-established HP sales channels.
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"We see HP's acquisition as primarily a response to Cisco's converged network/CPU strategy," writes Catharine Trebnick, an analyst with Avian Securities. "With Cisco owning the bulk of the enterprise Ethernet market, they have the most to lose if HP is successful in integrating the 3Com portfolio." Trebnick says HP's 3Com acquisition is filling a gap in its high-end networking to better compete with Cisco, and that 3Com's success in China will be a boon to HP. "Our conversations indicate that HP is well on its way to successfully maintaining [3Com's] China presence," she writes in a memo reacting to news of the deal.

A Brief History of 3Com Nikos Theodosopoulos and Jack Monti of UBS Warburg write that Cisco faces a long-term threat from the beefed-up HP because it could come at Cisco with aggressive pricing. 3Com's plan has been to sell its low-cost H-3C gear that is popular in China in countries around the world, they say. Trebnick is also optimistic that HP can use its established sales channels to expand 3Com's market share in North America where "success has been limited." "This acquisition has negative implications for every other provider of networking equipment," Trebnick says, spelling out some specifics, with Cisco being the main target with the most to lose by the new HP.

She says it seems logical that if HP wants to compete with Cisco on all fronts, it needs to make more purchases, possibly Avaya for unified communications and Polycom for telepresence and videoconferencing gear.

The deal is bad news for Brocade, she says, because HP sells Brocade storage gear under the name StorageWorks and might have hoped to make inroads with its Ethernet gear as well. But she writes that 3Com has been doing R&D on fibre channel over Ethernet, "raising the possibility that HP may build that functionality organically." Juniper is not affected as directly, she says, but if HP becomes stronger with corporate customers, it could blunt Juniper's momentum in enterprise sales.

Ittai Kidron and Joseph Park of Oppenheimer write that it is now unlikely that HP will try to buy Brocade, and also calls into doubt possible OEM relationships with Brocade and Juniper for data center switching and fibre channel over Ethernet products, because HP will probably try to develop this equipment in-house.

Near-term, though, the deal could be good for Cisco as well as Juniper and Brocade because integrating 3Com into HP will be disruptive, Kidron and Park write.

Analysts were impressed with 3Com's success in China, with Trebnick noting the Chinese government and corporate customers represent 30% of 3Com revenue, and Theodosopoulos and Monti noting its claim to 300 of the top 500 enterprises in China and a low-cost R&D center in that country.

Still, if HP wants to offer a complete array of network offerings it will have to make other purchases, strike OEM deals or develop its own technology, Theodosopoulos and Monti write in their bulletin about the deal.

In general, the purchase reduces the probability of other large networking mergers and acquisitions in the near term, they write, and that is likely to put pressure on the price of stocks of other companies they think might be acquisition targets, naming Brocade and F5. They also think that IBM is unlikely to buy networking vendors in the near term because it has OEM deals in the works with Juniper and Brocade that aren't fully up and running yet.

Will they be able to compete with cisco products thin not.?!?!?!

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Friday, October 2, 2009

Cisco: ‘In Norway We Trust’

Cisco: In Norway We Trust

The push to Buy American could start to mean something quite different than a patriotic call to purchase homemade cars and appliances in the coming years.

Sensing a more stabilized economy, the largest technology companies have started to put their massive cash war chests into action, acquiring companies once again. Oracle led the way with its purchase of Sun Microsystems. EMC gobbled up Data Domain. VMware bought the open-source software maker SpringSource. And this week, Cisco made a $3.0 billion offer for Tandberg, a video-conferencing specialist.

It’s Cisco’s acquisition that jumps out because of its European flair. Tandberg is based in Oslo, Norway and provided Cisco with a unique opportunity to use some of its $35 billion in cash.

The vast majority - about $29 billion - of Cisco’s cash sits overseas. Cisco would have faced huge tax penalties to bring that money stateside if it wanted to buy another video-conferencing player like Polycom or LifeSize.

Ned Hooper, a senior vice president at Cisco, said the expected by noting that Cisco’s judges acquisitions first based on their strategic and cultural alignment. Of course, the international angle with Tandberg didn’t hurt either.
We do have a great deal of cash overseas and were able to use the international cash to pay for this transaction,Mr. Hooper said.

Cisco’s foreign cash situation is the most dramatic of the major American technology players, although all of the companies face similar problems.

John Chambers, Cisco’s chief executive, has grumbled about the government nixing a tax repatriation break.

With a major era of consolidation in the technology industry looming, these tax and cash issues seem destined to crop up again, especially as American companies are passed over and left to fend against even larger opponents.

On a more lighthearted note, the acquisition of Tandberg reminded me of a post made back in March about Cisco’s TelePresence video-conferencing systems.

A Sean Tyrrell commented on the post back then saying, If Cisco’s Telepresence is soooo good, why do they have to always give it away? In every global account I am involved in, Cisco gives these things away. The fact is they are expensive to operate, limited in that you can only see a few sites at a time, they ought to call it Tele-Absence.
Mr. Tyrrell, you see, works at Tandberg where he is a global account director, and he’s taken a sweeter tone on Cisco since the deal was announced.

In an e-mail, Mr. Tyrrell said, This is a win-win for both companies, but more importantly, it is a win for our customers and the overall market. I think it is a defining moment in the industry and that video collaboration will reach the masses much faster than it would have had Tandberg and Cisco fought it out alone.
Best of all, Cisco might be able to charge money for its products now.

SOURCE:

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Cisco to establish IT training center in Dalian

Cisco has singed a three-party memorandum of understanding with the Dalian High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee and VanceInfo Technologies Inc. on the development of a Cisco Networking Training Center in Dalian, China. The center will cultivate high-end networking talent to meet growing global demand for skilled IT professionals, while increasing local employment opportunities.

The city of Dalian is becoming more connected as its information industry is developing, and there is a growing demand for networking talent for governmental organizations and different industries throughout the city. "We hope to leverage the Networking Training Center's advanced training resources to develop more talent suited to society's practical needs. This will lower IT training costs for employers, create more employment opportunities in Dalian and accelerate development in both industry and the wider local economy." said Luan Qingwei, director of the Administrative Committee of Dalian High-Tech Zone.

"This initiative represents another step that Cisco has taken towards contributing to innovation and sustainable development in China," said Jim Sherriff, chairman and CEO of Cisco China. "We will continue to share globally-tested best practices with Chinese companies, further strengthening our cooperation with local government, and fostering social and economic progress by developing more talent in networking technologies."

"VanceInfo has comprehensive IT service expertise and strong training operation capabilities," said Liu Junbo, executive VP of VanceInfo. "In addition to the technical, knowledge-based curriculum, the center also provides other professional development courses and hands-on operational lab training. As one of the most advanced training platforms in China, and we believe it will create more networking talent for Dalian, and help to close the gap between the existing talent pool and China's future needs."

The Dalian High-Tech Zone, Cisco and VanceInfo will each apply their unique resources to develop the most advanced networking professional training program in China. Drawing on its rich networking and IT training experience, Cisco will offer globally tested best practices and its learning curriculum, as well as advanced Cisco lab equipment. As Cisco's training partner, VanceInfo will take the responsibility for managing and operating the training center.

Cisco has worked with the Dalian High-Tech Zone in the past, establishing the Cisco Dalian Service Practice Center (DLSP) in the Dalian Software Park of High-Tech Zone. DLSP provides comprehensive and timely services for customers throughout Northeast Asia while also promoting local economic growth in Dalian. Renewed cooperation with the Dalian High-Tech Zone to develop more highly trained networking professionals will help the city provide employment opportunities, meet local demand, and promote growth in the city's information industry.

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Sunday, August 30, 2009

Cisco picks up first Double-A win

"Cisco picks up first Double-A win"

Pitcher Mike Cisco (Wando High School/South Carolina) picked up his first victory since being promoted to the Double-A Eastern League.

Cisco, playing for the Reading Phillies, worked 5 1/3 innings and and allowed seven hits and four earned runs in a 6-4 win over Erie on Wednesday.

Cisco had started out 0-3 for Reading after being promoted from Class A Clearwater. For the entire season, he's 8-6 with a 4.14 earned run average.

Cisco was drafted in the 36th round by the Phillies in 2008.

Around the bases

--Catcher Alex Garabedian (College of Charleston) has been on a home-run tear of late. The 6-2, 210-pounder hit three homers in four games last week, bringing his total to six for the season with Class A Inland Empire in the California League. He's hit .303 over his last 10 games with four RBIs.

--First baseman Justin Smoak (Stratford HS/USC), hampered by a strained oblique of late, is batting .240 with four homers and 23 RBIs in 53 games for Class AAA Oklahoma City. But that didn't stop Smoak from being selected to play for Team USA in the 2009 World Cup next month.

--Shortstop Reese Havens (Bishop England HS/USC) continued his strong play in the second half for Class A St. Lucie. Havens is batting .333 in his last 10 games, with two homers, four doubles and eight RBIs. His average is up to .244 with 12 homers and 49 RBIs in 89 games.

--Pitcher Jon Ellis (St. Andrews HS/The Citadel) picked up his first save for Triple-A Portland in the Pacific Coast League last Monday. The bullpen workhorse pitched a scoreless inning in a win over Sacramento, and is 7-3 with a 4.30 ERA for Portland.

--Pitcher Matt Crim (Stratford HS/The Citadel) took his first loss as a pro on Wednesday for the Class A Danville Braves. Crim allowed three hits and four earned runs in five innings against Burlington, taking a 4-3 loss. Crim is now a mere 10-1 with a 2.96 ERA.

--Outfielder Justin Greene (Stratford HS/Francis Marion) is 5 for 14 in his last three games for Class Winston-Salem … Catcher John Murrian (Stratford HS/Winthrop) is hitting .298 with Oneonta in the New York-Penn League, despite a recent 0 for 14 skid. 

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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Analysts notes lift Cisco shares ahead of earnings

 NEW YORK, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Shares of Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) rose 2 percent on Monday after a string of upbeat analysts notes and growing confidence in an economic recovery propped up expectations for the network equipment maker's quarterly results due later in the week.

Bernstein Research analyst Jeff Evenson said that after talking with industry contacts and looking at overall economic trends, he believed the company's quarterly results would likely come in at the higher end of its estimates.

Cisco, scheduled to report results after the market closes on Wednesday, had forecast a 17 percent to 20 percent drop in revenue from a year earlier.

"Revenue guidance given last quarter appears to have been generally conservative, assuming that demand would not stabilize or recover," said Evenson, forecasting quarterly revenue of $8.6 billion, down 17 percent from a year earlier.

Analysts on average expect $8.4 billion, down nearly 19 percent from a year earlier, according to Reuters Estimates.

Shares of the world's biggest manufacturer of routers and switches rose 43 cents to $22.44, outperforming the Nasdaq composite's .IXIC 0.6 percent rise.

UBS raised its target on the shares to $22.50 from $20.50, and Jefferies & Co. raised its target to $26 from $24.

The shares have risen around 14 percent in the past three months on hopes of an economic recovery, although many analysts have warned a substantial recovery in technology demand may take longer than many investors expect.

Morgan Keegan analyst Simon Leopold said he believes the communications equipment market bottomed out in the January-March quarter.

"We think the stock bounced off the bottom when the macro economy seemed to bottom, and now with initial signs of recovery, albeit muted, we think the stock can continue to appreciate," he said.

Leopold added that he expects Cisco to strike an "incrementally more positive" with investors, and that even if quarterly revenue falls as much as the market expects, cost-cuts may help earnings exceed the market's consensus of 28 cents per share before items.

REUTERS: